Chêne de Saint-Maurice

Clohars-Carnoët

On the site of the former Cistercian abbey of Saint-Maurice, of which only remains survive, this pedunculate oak has for about two centuries overlooked a meander of the Laïta estuary, on the border between Finistère and Morbihan. Property of the Conservatoire du littoral since 1991, this preserved natural site combines medieval monastic ruins, coastal heathland and riverside forest shaped by the tides. The oak, whose lower branches carry colonies of epiphytic ferns testifying to the oceanic humidity of the place, has over time become a symbol of the natural and historical heritage of the commune of Clohars-Carnoët. In 2024, it represented Brittany in the national Tree of the Year competition organised by the magazine Terre Sauvage and the Office national des forêts (national forestry office), where it won the public prize, winning over voters with its exceptional setting between abbey ruins and river. Far from the crowds, this discreet veteran continues to watch the ballet of migratory birds and of the tides that climb the Laïta, embodying the meeting of wild nature and spiritual memory on this site steeped in history since the 12th century.

Arbre européen de l'année 2025 — The Peaceful Oak of Saint-Maurice ↗

Getting there : In Clohars-Carnoët, follow the paths of the Saint-Maurice nature site, between the ruined abbey and the river Laïta; free access.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound